History and Culture

Early Records
 “wa” earliest Chinese names for
Japanese
 Early inhabitants were believed to have
come from Northeast Asia by means of
Korea
 Account of the Three Kingdoms
- Japan as appendage to Korea
- highly matriarchal (unmarried
queen/priestess)
Pottery Cultures
 Jomon culture
- coil-made or cord patterns in their
pottery
Pottery Cultures
 Yayoi culture
- potter’s wheel (mainland influence)
- agriculture
- tomb period
Yayoi tomb
Haniwa (Guardians of the Tomb)
Mythical Histories
 Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters
 Nihon Shoki or Nihongi (Chronicles of
Japan)
- it gives Japan a history to behold as a
people
- combination of various myths
Divine History of Japan
 Izanagi and Izanami
- islands of Japan
came from
- gave birth to
Amaterasu
Divine History of Japan

Amaterasu Ninigi
Divine History of Japan
 Jimmu Tenno
- First Emperor
- “Divine Warrior”
- extended the
Japanese empire
Uji
 Traditional Japanese clans ruled by
hereditary chiefs
 Worshipped the clan’s ancestors
 Combined religious & political functions
Kami
 Divine spirits of nature, as well as,
ancestors
 Nature-worship – Shintoism
(the way of the Gods)
Shoen
 Private estates ruled by hereditary
aristocracy
 Contributed to the rise of local military
class
Kana
 Japanese syllabary
- phonetic Chinese characters were
simplified into a new set of symbols
a. Hiragana (ordinary, no kanji)
b. Katakana (kanji, pronunciation)
Kana

Hiragana Katakana
Samurai
 “Gentlemen warriors”
 Aristocratic group educated and trained
in the arts of war
 Also known as “bushi”
Bushido
 “the way of the warrior”
- Loyalty to the emperor or overlord
- Honest and trustworthy
- Frugal lives; whose interest is Honor
and Pride
- Men of true valor
- No fear of death
- “To die in battle is to bring honor to his
family and lord”
BU – martial arts

 SHI - warrior
 DO – the way
Seppuku
 Death or ritual suicide
(disembowelment)
 A samurai would rather kill himself than
bring shame and disgrace to his family
name and his lord.
 This was considered an act of true
honor.
The Samurai Creed
I have no parents; I make the Heavens and the Earth my parents.
I have no home; I make the Tan T'ien my home.
I have no divine power; I make honesty my Divine Power.
I have no means; I make Docility my means.
I have no magic power; I make personality my Magic Power.
I have neither life nor death; I make A Um my Life and Death. I have no body; I
make Stoicism my Body.
I have no eyes; I make The Flash of Lightning my eyes.
I have no ears; I make Sensibility my Ears.
I have no limbs; I make Promptitude my Limbs.
I have no laws; I make Self-Protection my Laws.
I have no strategy; I make the Right to Kill and the Right to Restore Life my
Strategy.
I have no designs; I make Seizing the Opportunity by the Forelock my Designs.
I have no miracles; I make Righteous Laws my Miracle.
I have no principles; I make Adaptability to all circumstances my Principle.
I have no tactics; I make Emptiness and Fullness my Tactics.
I have no talent; I make Ready Wit my Talent.
I have no friends; I make my Mind my Friend.
I have no enemy; I make Incautiousness my Enemy.
I have no armour; I make Benevolence my Armour.
I have no castle; I make Immovable Mind my Castle.
I have no sword; I make No Mind my Sword.
7 Principles of Bushido
 Gi: the right decision, taken with
equanimity, the right attitude, the truth.
When we must die, we must die. Rectitude.
 Yu: bravery tinged with heroism.
 Jin: universal love, benevolence toward
mankind; compassion.
 Rei: right action--a most essential quality,
courtesy.
 Makoto: utter sincerity; truthfulness.
 Melyo: honor and glory.
 Chugo: devotion, loyalty.
Shogun
 Emperor’s chief military commander
and agent
 “bakufu”
 Four Shogunates
 Minamoto
 Kamakura
 Ashikaga
 Tokugawa
Noh
 Distinctively Japanese drama
Zen Buddhism
 Disciplined meditation
 Oneness with universal creation
 Unity with nature